On The Straight and Narrow
by TheSleeplessPrime
Summary: Following the events of the reknowned SynthEn incident of beloved Season 2, Ratchet has a series of highly unpleasant nightmares that soon start to warp his normal behaviour around his friends to the point they notice and worry for the grouchy medic. Is this just SynthEn withdrawal symptoms, or his mind trying to tell him something? Either way, only one bot can help a downed medic.
1. Rescue

_**On the straight and narrow**_

Ratchet had to admit afterwards, he had no idea what he was thinking when he thought it had been a good idea to test the Synthetic Energon on himself like that. After all, it could only result in him being confined to the Medbay following the recent 'incident' concerning the Decepticons that he'd intruded upon. He'd felt great, storming in there and slaughtering those filthy 'Cons left, right and centre, and it was all for a good cause wasn't it? After all, he _was_ an Autobot and Autobots were there to stop the Decepticons. But he hadn't counted on Megatron recovering from his initial attack quite so quickly. In fact, he hadn't at all realised what he was getting into until it was too late and his side was in agonising pain. The only thing he felt now was that agonising pain as he lay in the thickening pool of the sickly green Energon, optics slowly and sluggishly closing as he felt himself slipping away into darkness. And he welcomed it after the fool he'd made of himself in front of Megatron and Knock Out, in front of Team Prime… in front of Optimus. That was all his processor could focus on, the idiot he'd been while almost high on the synthetic Energon, and that was all he could focus on that stopped him from slipping unconscious in such a vulnerable state in the heart of Decepticon territory.

"Ratchet!"

"Ratchet? Where are ya buddy?"

"Ratchet, where are you? Can you hear us?"

There was someone calling his name. No, three of them. Or was it four? It was getting harder to see now as he weakly coughed and gurgled out some kind of almost slurred response, vaguely aware of thick green Energon dripping down the softer metal of his cheek as he tried to turn his head towards where the footsteps were roughly coming from but the pain was too much and Ratchet was forced to stay still instead. The sounds and noises around him of gunfire and metal clashing and scraping and voices were starting to blur together before he was found. Optimus ran over to him, optics wide as he tried not to let his emotions get the better of him upon seeing his old friend in such a pitiful state. The Prime was by the medic's side in a matter of seconds, carefully stemming as much of the bleeding as he could before picking his broken body up. The other Autobots were with Optimus in moments, holding off hordes of Vehicons as a ground bridge opened up in front of them.

"Autobots, let's move out and fast. Ratchet is gravely wounded and needs urgent attention." He ordered surprisingly calmly, Bulkhead staring.

"From who? It ain't like we have another medic waiting in the wings back at base is there?" he said, mace still out as he pounded a Vehicon in to the wall beside him.

"No, but Ratchet made sure I knew the basics of medical care. Now let's be swift about this, he's losing Energon." Optimus stated bluntly, carrying Ratchet through the Ground Bridge and back into the warmth of the base once again. The medic stirred only slightly, optics blurred and out of focus almost entirely as he stared up at Optimus blearily while his audios were slightly aware of several gasps from the platform area the humans frequently gathered on so as not to be stepped on or put in danger.

"Optimus, what happened to him?" June Darby gasped, running over to the railings in shock with wide eyes.

"Decepticons. Do not worry, Mrs Darby, he will make it." Optimus calmly reassured her, laying Ratchet down carefully on one of the Medbay berths and attaching numerous pipes to his frame to help the healing process, one pumping out the remains of the synthetic Energon while Optimus himself began removing shrapnel from Ratchet's green-stained wound and reconnecting some of the injured Energon lines in Ratchet's side.

It was a good few hours before Ratchet even remotely stirred again, optics opening blearily as he took a quick look around and even attempted to get up before his frame screamed 'No!' at him. With a pain groaned he slumped back down, drawing the attention of Optimus who was running a few scans just as Ratchet had taught him a while ago. The Prime came over instantly, hushing the medic.

"Don't try to get up, Ratchet. You're still injured." He advised calmly, gently easing Ratchet back down and watching with a slightly pained expression as his old friend fell unconscious before him again, helm laying back against the medical berth.

* * *

><p>It was dark, as was all he could register for a while. He was certain his optics were functioning like they always did and without fail too, frowning in the pitch blackness. He turned his head, feeling the almost numb motion but still the darkness didn't change around him. Not even the slightest shift in the light occurred.<p>

"Where…?" he muttered, just starting to speak before a brilliant light flashed in front of his optics. He grunted in pain and on reflex snapped them shut. By the time his optics had readjusted to the registered light frequency, there were voices around him welcoming him back to consciousness.

"It is indeed good to see you well again, Ratchet." Optimus' distinct voice said to him, a hand resting on his shoulder plating as Ratchet forced his optics open and smiled tiredly up at the Autobots that had crowded around his berth.

"It feels much better. Thank you, Optimus, you did a grand job repairing me." Ratchet replied with a smile, the words seeming oddly muffled as if, as humans often described, he were submerged in water. Optimus smiled his small smile as always, nodding as everyone moved back to let the veteran medic sit up and work the slight stiffness from his shoulder joints. There was a slight beat in which no one said a word, not even Miko who was stood to the side on the raised platform with Jack and Rafael too and, strangely, glaring at him. Ratchet passed it off and stood slowly, feeling Optimus lay a broad hand on his shoulder as he did so; it was a relaxing feeling and he did indeed relax to the contact.

"I'm not certain what you were thinking, Ratchet." Optimus started, startling Ratchet a little with the harshness of his tone. "But that was the stupidest thing you have ever done in your miserable life." He growled, optics blazing with frightening fury that Ratchet had never seen before. The grip on his shoulder tightened and Ratchet's optics went wide as he tried to speak, only for his vocaliser to cut out. There was a sharp blow to the side of his face and it registered after a second that Prime had _punched_ him in the face. Ratchet stumbled a little and took a step back, forcing his way out of the Prime's grip with a look of confusion and fear.

"Optimus? What in the Pit are you doing?" he questioned, optics wide as he backed away from where all the Autobots had drawn their weapons with narrowed, red optics and looks of disgust and fury all directed at… at… _him_. Ratchet was swiftly unnerved as he twitched and his frame tremored slightly, all the while backing away before he felt the wall behind him. He was cornered. Caught between the wall and his _friends_.

"What the slaggin' Pit is going on?!" Ratchet soon panicked, "This isn't funny anymore, stop it!" he hissed in fear. Miko glared more and cracked her knuckles.

"You're no good. I don't know why you're here in the first place, Ratchet, if you're gonna do stupid things like that." The Japanese girl snarled viciously, actually making Ratchet wince as Raf joined in the insults with Jack too. Soon enough all of them were insulting him and starting to hurt him, nicking valuable Energon fuel lines under his armour and the softer 'skin' metal beneath his armour.

"Stop it!" Ratchet demanded, trying to activate his own weapons. But they wouldn't respond. "Why the slag are you doing this?!" he screeched at them all, Optimus chuckling darkly.

"Because the weak don't deserve to live, nor do those that disappoint me. And you, Ratchet, you have greatly disappointed me." Optimus said with a growl evident in his tone. Ratchet winced and actually felt his optics tearing up a little at such hateful words.

"But…. I…." Ratchet started, swallowing hard. "This must be a dream…" he wheezed to himself, shaking all over now in fear as Optimus towered above him with his Energon sword brandished and sharper than ever.

"No, Ratchet." He said, switching back to his usual kinder tone. "This is a nightmare." Was all that was said before Ratchet made a wheezing, whimpering sound. He slowly and shakily looked down, body convulsing a little as he saw the Energon sword sticking out of his chest directly where his spark was. Vivid blue Energon dripped from the wound and the sword, his hands going up and gripping the blade with another whimper leaving his vocaliser. The world around him started to disintegrate, everyone's faces blurring into one - and that one was Optimus' – screaming and swearing and insulting him over and over and over again with no mercy as his knee joints gave way and he sank to the ground, starting to cough up Energon before collapsing, living no more.


	2. Warped Reality

Ratchet awoke with a start, almost yelping through his near worn out vocaliser, and sat up with wide panicked optics. He looked around to discover Optimus was indeed stood nearby at the monitors working on a couple of scans and it only made him tremble that little bit more. The Prime slowly turned and smiled at Ratchet pleasantly.

"Ratchet, it is good to see you well again." He said calmly, soon frowning at Ratchet's evident twitchiness and even fear. "Ratchet? Is everything alright?" Optimus asked in total concern, walking over before Ratchet jumped up and nodded quickly, disconnecting himself from the numerous bits and pieces of medical equipment.

"I'm fine, Optimus. Just fine. Now if you'll please excuse me…. I need a lie down…." Ratchet muttered, walking off quickly and avoiding any kind of contact with any of the other Autobots. Optimus frowned deeply and shared a look with June, raising an optic ridge.

"I don't believe for a second that he's okay…" June said, crossing her arms as Optimus nodded.

"While Ratchet has been excellent at hiding his own emotions, he can be rather stubborn and obvious about them. And since he is so stubborn, there isn't any point in chasing him up about it if he's like… that." Optimus stated slowly, sighing a little as he went back to monitor duty.

Ratchet was growing more and more paranoid as he practically camped in his quarters deep within the Autobot base, twitching every so often at every little noise that happened around him before he forced himself to calm.

"You're being ridiculous now, Ratchet. Just think about this logically, you aft." He hissed to himself, pacing back and forth. "There is no way on Cybertron that Optimus nor any of the others would try to harm you, you're being irrational." He tutted and stopped in his tracks.

"But that dream felt all too real."

A beat. Silence.

"Nope it was a dream, I'm being daft and it's most likely the after-effects of that daft Synthetic Energon you foolishly took and went on a rampage with. Yes. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less." He reasoned, nodding as he sighed and checked his internal chronometer. Half past _midnight_.

"Scrap." He muttered, locking his quarters' door and retiring to bed with another growl at himself. However it wasn't long before he was 'dreaming' again.

* * *

><p>He was on top of a cliff, looking across the Nevada desert where their base was hidden away from the public eye. Although he'd never admit it aloud, Ratchet had always admired the way the sun cast beautiful shadows across the rock piles and slight cliffs around them that the others never really noticed. Another thing he admired was how golden the sun blazed in the sky and cast the clouds a brilliant blazing burnt amber across the town of Jasper that wasn't really that far away. Right now it wasn't any different as he stood, alone, on top the cliff and suspiciously close to the huge drop below him. A soft sigh left his lips and he relaxed a little, more than grateful to have a moment of absolute peace to himself for once as his sky-blue optics scanned across the desert at their own luxurious pace. For a while, Ratchet was completely convinced he was alone and at peace before he heard the unmistakable footsteps of Optimus. He sighed a little and turned, smiling slightly at his leader.<p>

"Is there something I can assist with, Optimus?" he answered calmly, the Prime nodding.

"In fact, there is something Ratchet." Optimus replied, battle mask up and over his face which, for whatever reason, Ratchet didn't think all that odd. Ratchet nodded and walked over to Optimus, barely putting two and two together with the battle mask until it was too late. Optimus swung for him and caught him directly in the face, knocking Ratchet back a good few strides with a yell of pain.

"Optimus?! What the scrap is wrong with you?!" Ratchet shouted, optics wide as he held his slightly bleeding cheek. Optimus merely cracked his digits and walked closer still, driving Ratchet step by step backwards to the edge of the cliff he was on.

"Penance." Was the short answer from the Prime, making Ratchet's spark clench in fear as Optimus' ion blaster activated on his left arm and his Energon sword on his right.

"Optimus, wait-!" Ratchet started, ducking out of the way of the ion blaster before the sword was driven through his lower chassis on his left side and forced the medic to his knees in agonising pain. Optimus barely batted an optic as he stared down emptily at Ratchet's shaking and panic-driven form below him, pede raising and kicking Ratchet in the face with a force hard enough to daze him severely.

"This is your penance for your sins. I don't know why I selected you as my medic, Ratchet." Optimus said gravely, "It was evidently a grand mistake on my part. As for your 'expertise' in the field of medicinal practises, you were wrong to even apply to that school in the first place. You deserved no place there and you certainly don't deserve a place now as any kind of medic. You are undeserving of my kindness, of my presence even." Optimus all but snarled down at the wounded medic. "You'd be better off dead." He said sharply, kicking Ratchet in the frame again and watching him scramble to his pedes in panic and backing away before his footing gave way beneath him at the very edge of the clifftop. Suddenly he was falling, having slipped, and screaming soundlessly as he plummeted to the rocky desert below.

* * *

><p>Once more, Ratchet awoke with a yell of fear as he rolled off the berth and landed on his back on the floor of his quarters. It took him a moment to truly realise what just happened before a meek groan left his vocaliser.<p>

"Not again..." he moaned, hand raising to his optics and rubbing them slowly as he took in his surroundings and the time. Two o'clock in the morning and he was still in his darkened room, not a soul in sight and no sign of him having fallen to his certain death from the clifftop. A slight sigh of relief passed his lips and he slowly sat up, rubbing his dazed helm before climbing to his pedes again and stretching a little. Ratchet grumbled and left his quarters, knowing full well there was no way on this planet nor Cybertron that he'd be able to get back into recharge again any time soon unless he was forced into it. The medic soon was working at the monitors calmly, easing a little at the peace and quiet of the base around him; no one there to disturb him at this hour.

'_Finally…'_ he thought with a slight smile, _'Quiet…'_

Oh, how much he missed it. It was ten o'clock now and everyone was up and about, fetching their morning Energon before Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Arcee went out to retrieve their charges for the day. Fantastic. Even Optimus was almost unusually chirpy this morning, greeting his Autobots with a little more smile than normal as he sipped at his Energon as he wandered over to Ratchet.

"Any Decepticon activity, Ratchet?" he asked calmly, Ratchet almost jumping sky-high as he twitched and flinched away in paranoia and at being reminded of his Pit-awful nightmares from the previous nights.

"None, Prime." He answered quietly, typing away before leaving Smokescreen to do monitor duty that morning and shutting himself away in his Medbay to fix some broken tools Bulkhead had, well, broken. Optimus raised an optic ridge, sharing a look with Smokescreen who merely shrugged and went back to his duty.

"There is something off with Ratchet." Optimus frowned, finishing his Energon before knocking on the Medbay doors. "Ratchet? May I come in?"

"No. I'm busy and I'm certain you don't want a weld spark in the optic with what I'm fixing right now." He said icily, making Optimus worry more.

"Ratchet, I'm coming in." he said anyway, Ratchet starting to complain as he put down his welding tools and crossed his arms.

"Was that really necessary? To intrude in the only place where I am unlikely to be interrupted given how dangerous it can be in here?" he grouched, huffing as he went back to welding again after receiving a look from Optimus to watch his glossa.

"Ratchet, what is wrong? You've been acting strange since the incident with the SynthEn." Optimus stated bluntly, approaching Ratchet before the medic made a noise.

"Ah buh buh buh!" Ratchet growled, gesturing to the bright yellow tape that ran along the floor. "THAT side is the safe zone, THIS side is where you are NOT allowed to come." He huffed, Optimus staring at him.

"Very well, I will respect your attempt for some privacy." He replied nonchalantly. "Now tell me what is wrong."

"There isn't anything wrong. Don't you have something else to do? I'm trying to repair some of my tools here."

"Ratchet."

"What."

"Ratchet, old friend, there is most certainly something amiss with you. Why won't you tell me?"

"Because there is nothing wrong!" Ratchet growled, temper spiking as he whipped his helm around and fixed Optimus with a death glare only he was allowed to get away with. Optimus sensed his anger spike and raised his hands in a form of surrender, turning on his heel and walking out. "Sensible option." Ratchet hissed after him, slamming the door behind him before curling up in the corner and sighing miserably. It wasn't fair, why did it have to be him that got all these nightmares now? It certainly hadn't been the SynthEn that caused it, that much was for certain. The old medic sighed again and sat down, welding tools out and ready to go as he started his repairs again.


	3. Panic in Prime's Base

Optimus had to admit, Ratchet had been acting suspiciously strange all week or perhaps for even longer than a week now. The medic had taken to attempting to remain online without any hint of recharge in his Medbay, always hiding himself away from the others and, when he was approached on the odd occasion, he would flinch away from any contact for a moment, even from the Prime himself. However it wasn't just Optimus that had noticed, everyone had taken note of Ratchet's odd behaviour and had all attempted to get some form of answer out him yet to no avail so far. Even Miko was expressing some concern for the 'demon medic', to put it her way. In fact, it was almost enough to say that he was becoming rather paranoid of activity on the base; he would more often than not check where everyone was through his extensive duty on monitors at least every hour or so before going back to what he was doing. On this particular day, Optimus had had enough. Ratchet had, yet again, scuttled and hid himself away in his room in a ditch attempt to get maybe half an hour of some kind of recharge and everyone rolled their optics when Ratchet had told them he was going for a 'lie down in his quarters' - that had been at two o'clock in the morning, of course.

"Ratchet, what is wrong with you old friend...?" Optimus muttered to himself as he walked down the cold corridor and away from the steady glow of the green monitors in the main room in the darkness. Arcee and Bulkhead had taken to staying with their charges, Jack and Miko, to the point where almost every night only Bumblebee, Ratchet and Optimus himself were left on base. It provided some peace and quiet for Ratchet, at the very least, who was having difficulty recharging. It was not secret about his temporary insomnia but when questioned, all he'd do was grab a wrench and stare threateningly at the asker. Currently, Bumblebee was milling around one of the jungle-gym type efforts to improve Autobot dexterity by himself, leaving Optimus to be able to investigate Ratchet's unusual recharging patterns. It wasn't long before he was outside the medic's door, peering inside to see Ratchet half-off his berth but most certainly in recharge, almost like a log if it weren't for the fact his small antennae would twitch every so often. Optimus hummed quietly, frowning briefly at the twitching - it was a well-known fact to Optimus, having known Ratchet for a long time even before the war, that those only twitched when he was stressed or perhaps even distressed. The Prime lingered in the doorway, watching to make sure Ratchet was alright before turning to leave.

That was when he heard the mumbling.

* * *

><p><em>Everything burned, his chassis, his optics, his spark. It all hurt so much and there was nothing he could do about it. Ratchet was stood in the centre of the main room of the Autobot silo, shaking as everyone towered above him and spat insult after insult.<em>

_"Useless!"_

_"Scrap metal!"_

_"An unworthy medic!"_

_"Nothing but spare parts waiting to happen!"_

_Everyone was screaming at him increasingly more foul things, even Raf and June of all people! Arcee had her claws at the ready and was scratching at his face. The veteran was unable to move his arms to defend himself, shaking as softly-glowing blue tears dripped down his cheeks from his optics. There was a brief moment in which the insults stopped, allowing Ratchet a moment to sob quietly as his small antennae twitched and quivered and even went as far to bend a little under the stress and sadness on his spark. The hisses and voices died away around him, causing the distressed mech to look up and see Optimus set a calmer hand on his shoulder, even going as far as to cup his cheek gently._

_"Cheer up, old friend." he said lowly, soon striking him across the face and, as if on cue, the insults started back up again on automatic. This time they were worse, much worse, as everyone kicked and punched at his somewhat vulnerable frame mercilessly. The pain and agony grew to the point he was kicked to the ground harshly by the Prime himself, said leader pressing a pede down on his chassis and causing yet more pain as they could all hear the creaking and whines of the metal armour beneath his pede. Everyone jeered and goaded him on, watching him attempt to flatten Ratchet in a show of Megatron-worthy brutality. Ratchet attempted to scream, being kicked from all angles as an arm was ripped clean off._

* * *

><p>Optimus frowned and walked over, towering above Ratchet and setting a hand on his shoulder. "Ratchet. Wake up." he said firmly, attempting to wake his friend as he shook his shoulder gently. "Ratchet, can you hear me? Wake up!" he said, beginning to worry as Ratchet mumbled and groaned in his sleep, flinching away from the contact with an audible whimper as he mumbled away.<p>

"No... please... no... don't... I'm sorry..." he wheezed, whimpering as his frame started to shake uncontrollably in the Prime's grip. Optimus frowned, shaking him again as Ratchet flinched away and curled right up on the berth in a total panic.

* * *

><p><em>He was pinned down, a sword through his chest as he was bleeding profusely again from the same aggravated wound from his little endeavour with Megatron and the SynthEn. He was crying softly, tears streaming rapidly down his cheek plating as he struggled weakly.<em>

_"Optimus... Please..." he coughed, valuable Energon dripping down from his mouth weakly. "Why...?" he coughed again, Energon splattering the Prime's pede as he was kicked again by his leader. Optimus growled fiercly at him, optics narrowed as he spat insult after insult at him._

_"You deserve to die." he hissed viciously, driving his ion blaster right up against Ratchet's helm. There was a beat before he pulled the trigger, Ratchet's optics going wide for a second before there was nothing._

* * *

><p>Optimus frowned as he rocked Ratchet's shoulder again, trying almost desperately by this point to wake him before Ratchet bolted upright with a scream of absolute terror. Barely a beat passed before Ratchet was struggling against Optimus, screaming the most incoherent of things in sheer paranoia and fear. Optimus grunted a little as he was headbutted hard, stumbling a little at the shocking force the medic possessed now out of fear, before swiftly regaining his senses and pulling Ratchet's arms behind him and pinning him down against the berth.<p>

"Ratchet calm down!" Optimus shouted, Ratchet only screaming further with completely dilated optics that scanned and flicked around the room wildly in fear as his vocaliser crackled with static at the harsh sudden usage after being offline for a while.

"DON'T KILL ME! IT WASN'T MY FAULT! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! PLEASE OPTIMUS!" Ratchet screamed, Bumblebee running in at the racket to see Ratchet pinned completely beneath Optimus and yet still struggling and forcing his way up and away from the mech in slow progress.

/What is going on?!/ Bee beeped in shock, optics wide as Optimus grunted at being slammed back against the wall.

"Bumblebee! Medbay, now! Top shelf, biggest box there is! Get the strongest sedative you can find!" Optimus shouted, his own optics rather wide and his own face a picture of fear as he tried to hold the panicking medic down with all his might. "QUICKLY!" Bumblebee blinked and nodded, backing out of the room and sprinting to the Medbay as fast as his frame would allow him. Both mechs had adrenalin coursing through them in utter fear for Ratchet's mental safety, optics wide as they came to terms by themselves that Ratchet must have been suffering with nightmares such as this for a while. Optimus growled at being headbutt again, forcing Ratchet against the wall that, in any other circumstances, might have looked awkward but now was completely necessary.

"Ratchet! Calm down! It's me!" he barked, watching Ratchet twitch and flail even more as he tried to brace himself against the wall to push Optimus clear away. _*Where are you, Bumblebee?!*_ Optimus thought to himself, casting quick glances towards the doorway before making the decision to carry Ratchet there himself. He quickly hooked his arms under Ratchet's and forced them up, limiting the medic's mobility already before proceeding to drag him, very much kicking and screaming, out of his quarters and to the Medbay where Bumblebee was balancing on a couple of crates to be able to reach the high shelf. His helm snapped over to look where Optimus was dragging Ratchet through the door to the Medbay, only for the medic to scream and hook his pede around the doorframe.

/I said I'd get it!/ Bee beeped quickly, optics wide as he grabbed the box quickly and fetched the strongest sedative there.

"You weren't quick enough!" Optimus snapped, looking at the scout with a split lip as he nodded for Bee to apply the sedative into an exposed wire in Ratchet's neck. Both mechs panted a little as they watched the veteran slouch down against Optimus with dying screams and whimpers leaving his vocaliser as his optics shut off and he relaxed entirely. There was nothing left but silence and the scout and leader panting softly in shock.

/What just happened./ Bee wheezed out, watching Optimus lay Ratchet down before sinking to the floor with jelly legs as the adrenalin subsided.

"I... have no... fraggin'... idea..." Optimus panted, hands shaking a little as he stared into space. What the frag _had_ just happened?!


	4. Remedy

Hours melted away and the night slowly gave way to the dreary grey morning over Jasper, Optimus and Bumblebee stirring from their light recharges upon hearing Ratchet slowly come online. The scout was quick to rouse the leader quickly, shaking his shoulder and watching him give a tired groan before hauling himself up and standing beside the medic.

"Ratchet? Can you hear me?" Optimus said, as had been routine from his vocaliser throughout the night to the point it sounded empty and meaningless. There was a soft, sleepy groan from the medic before Ratchet gasped, optics going wide as he sat bolt upright impressively fast for someone with such a stocky frame. Optimus immediately put a hand on his shoulder, watching him flinch.

"Ratchet. Calm down." Optimus stated firmly, lip still split and not in the mood for this as he dismissed Bumblebee to get some Energon . "And tell me what happened in that head of yours last night." he said in a calmer tone, closing the Medbay doors behind Bumblebee before turning to sit beside the shaking medic.

"I... I..." Ratchet started, barely able to make up one sentence before he collapsed into tears in trauma. The Prime blinked with wide optics, uncertain of what to do for a moment before his spark practically slapped aside his logicality, and slowly hugged Ratchet, bringing his shaking frame close.

"Ratchet..." Optimus sighed gently, rubbing his helm lightly and watching Ratchet whimper against his chestplates. "Tell me what happened. You know you can." he nudged softly, cupping Ratchet's tear-stained cheek and watching the veteran hiccup and shake his head with another whimper. The two remained like that for a while, cuddled up to one another as Optimus waited patiently for Ratchet to speak and was not about to push him in such a fragile state. Then, after a good few hours and hearing the others arrive on base, Ratchet slowly spoke.

"Do... Do you... hate me... for the SynthEn incident...?" Ratchet said quietly, optics downcast and looking anywhere but at his Prime. Optimus' own optics went wide in shock, his helm shaking immediately.

"By the AllSpark, no! Ratchet, is this what has been troubling you?" Optimus said, stunned and almost hurt that his most trusted medic would believe such a thing. Ratchet gave a quiet sob and nodded, breaking down entirely against Optimus's frame as he clutched him tighter.

"I... You... You killed me... So many times..." Ratchet sobbed, shaking from helm to pede as he closed his optics and allowed tears to fall.

"Ratchet you know I never would do that to you."

"But you did..."

"Ratchet."

"...mm...?"

"It was a dream. It wasn't real." Optimus said gently, tilting Ratchet's helm up to face him. "Now, would I ever lie to you? Think about that realistically, Ratchet, not with what terrors you saw in your dreams. I know Miko has often stated to you that 'dreams mean stuff' but in this case, they are completely wrong. I could never hate you Ratchet, not after all you have done for me. It is perhaps impossible to hate you. We've all been so worried for your health ever since the last of that pesky SynthEn was drained out of your systems. You've been so skittish, so tired and paranoid. Everyone has noticed and everyone, yes even Miko, is afraid for you." Optimus soothed calmly, rubbing Ratchet's tear-stained cheek. "Understand?" He was met with a meek nod of disbelief, Ratchet hiccuping a little as he wiped away some of his tears.

"Everyone noticed...?" he mumbled, receiving a nod in reply before he whined a little. "I... thank you..." he mumbled quietly, Optimus smiling slightly down at the medic. "It... It was foolish of me to believe such nonsense... and from a mere dream no less!" Ratchet huffed, only now starting to realise just how daft he'd been. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you all, Optimus..." Optimus chuckled softly, shaking his helm.

"Ratchet. Would we be as tight-knit as we are right now if you _didn't_ cause trouble?"

"Well... Do you really want me to answer that?"

"I'm not sure I do." Optimus hummed gently, smiling as he geared Ratchet into smiling too. "Now, just relax and be your usual self." Optimus smiled as Ratchet tutted and huffed, grabbing his trusty wrench and dinking Optimus' helm with it.

"Don't be so slaggin' cheeky, else I'll reformat you with a randomly-generated toaster function." he warned playfully, sitting up properly and stretching out his pedes before going to leave.

"Ratchet." Optimus called him back, making the medic groan and turn again.

"Ye-!"Ratchet started in response, only to receive a gentle kiss to his lips that made his entire frame go gooey and relax. The Prime pulled away gently after a moment, the two of them looking into each other's optics with longing and utter adoration as Ratchet held Optimus' hand tightly. There was a moment in which Ratchet thought about asking the Prime to bond with him, before shoving those thoughts off having examined the dangers of such a bond thoroughly over the course of his time serving as his medic. Silence fell over the two mechs, Optimus realising that Ratchet was stood on the tips of his pedes so he could reach the Prime's lips properly and chuckling quietly in his head. Ratchet tilted his helm, raising an optic ridge in curiosity at his Prime's amused expression.

"What did you want again?" Ratchet muttered, shaking his helm as Optimus chuckled softly.

"Go and recharge. Now." He practically ordered, hearing Ratchet groan before stalking off.

"Frag you."

"Love you too, sweetspark."


End file.
